Strongholds of Truth
Being imperfect persons living in an imperfect world, we live at risk of having truth elude us or slip through our fingers.
As a safeguard against such a risk, God has given us several strongholds of truth. These serve as guardians of truth. This week, Theology 101 directs our attention to Christ as the living embodiment of truth.
In the prologue to the Gospel of John, we read concerning Christ, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14).
This is followed closely by the declaration, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (1:17). Divine grace and divine truth are on permanent display and unwavering preservation in the person of Christ.
Incarnation of truth
Thus, the witness to the good news about Christ is that He came as the incarnation of truth. Later, when responding to a question from Thomas about “the way,” Christ declared Himself to be not only the way but also “the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
As Christians, we confess that Christ is the only way to God, the accurate truth about God and the authentic life of God. These are absolute and unchangeable confessions. In Christ, truth has no variation or shadow of turning.
Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul urged his readers not to walk after the manner of unconverted Gentiles, reminding them that they were no longer blind of heart, “If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus” (4:21).
Teacher of truth
Christ not only embodied the truth as the eternal citadel of truth, He came as the premier teacher of truth to others.
In John 8:31–32, Jesus promised, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
Human perceptions of truth may vary from person to person or from generation to generation, but Christ remains the unchanging embodiment of divine truth. His teaching remains the trustworthy vehicle of communicating that truth. In a world of competing truth claims, if we would become doers of truth, we must become obedient and authentic followers of Him who is the Truth.
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